Michael Tracy – Director, saxophone
A veritable “Ambassador of Jazz,” Professor Michael Tracy is one of America’s foremost jazz educators, with more than fifty years of performing and teaching experience. In classrooms, studios, and concert halls, he has developed a variety of innovative approaches to jazz education, enabling him to work with students of any proficiency. Tracy has taught and performed throughout the United States, Argentina, Australia, Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Republic of Georgia, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, and Wales. As a Fulbright Senior Specialist, he worked with and advised the jazz programs at the Estonian Music Academy in Tallinn, Estonia (2014), the Tbilisi State Conservatoire in Tbilisi, Georgia (2016), Universidad de las Américas in Quito, Ecuador (2018-19) and Ghetto Classics in Nairobi, Kenya (2024).
As the retired Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Louisville School of Music in Louisville, Kentucky (formally the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studied Program), Professor Tracy taught jazz saxophone, jazz repertoire and numerous ensembles. In addition to his duties at the University, he was a Fulbright Senior Specialist and a longtime faculty member of the widely renowned Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, where he served for over forty-two years, and is the founder and director of the Louisville Jazz Workshop, a summer jazz experience for adults.
Tracy has also made forays into the worlds of recording with eight CDs to his credit – Fotografia (2019), Hora Certa (2016), Surfboard (2012), Wingspan (2010), Conversations (2008), Gusting (2004), Tracings (2003), and Facets (1999). He and his group Hora Certa were recognized as the Best Latin Jazz Artist of 2019 by Latin Music Awards Kentucky. Tracy’s publishing accomplishments include authoring the books Jazz Piano Voicings for the Non-pianist, co-authoring Pocket Changes: 421 Standard Chord Progressions and Pocket Changes II, 381 Standard Chord Progressions and Jazz Saxophone Survey: A Descriptive Analysis of 38 Saxophonists. He is also the artistic Director of JazzAnywhere.com, an online jazz education site which offers a variety of courses on jazz, Brazilian, Colombian music. In addition, Mr. Tracy is actively involved presenting online master classes for organizations in Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Russia and more.
Professor Tracy holds a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Bachelor of Music Performance and Music Education degrees from the University of Louisville. He is also the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts Study Grants in jazz performance.
Michael Tracy is Yamaha Artist, a D’Addario Artist (playing exclusively on D’Addario Jazz Select Reeds)and a Friend of Bambú (ligature).
Sean Parsons – piano
Sean Parsons is a jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator and is the director of the Ohio University Contemporary Music and Digital Instrument program. Originally from Illinois, Sean holds a Bachelor’s degree in music composition from Illinois Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in jazz studies from DePaul University, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois. Prior to his appointment at Ohio University where he directs the Contemporary Music and Digital Instrument program and teaches Jazz Studies and Music Theory, Sean has held faculty positions at Marshall University and Illinois Wesleyan University. He is in demand as a performer and clinician nationwide. Sean has shared the stage with many of the most notable musicians in jazz including Clark Terry, James Moody, Aretha Franklin Jon Faddis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Steve Turre, and Randy Brecker.
Doug Elmore – bass
As a performer on the double bass, Doug Elmore has worked with the Louisville Orchestra, the Owensboro (KY) Symphony, Michael Feinstein, Andrea Bocelli, Byron Stripling, Music Theatre of Louisville, Actor’s Theatre of Louisville, Derby Dinner Playhouse, the Jerry Tolson Quartet, the Ron Jones Quartet, the Mike Tracy Trio, the Platters, the Ron Haydn Trio, Carly Johnson, the Don Krekel Orchestra, and the Sarah Stivers Quartet. A 1986 graduate of DePauw University (IN), Elmore completed his graduate work in Applied Double Bass at the University of Louisville in 2001. He was a charter member of the “Jazz Prophets” a significant fixture on the Louisville scene in the early 2000’s. He served on the faculty of Bellarmine University in Louisville as Instructor of Jazz Bass, and taught String Methods at the University of Louisville. Elmore has been featured on cd recordings by University of Louisville faculty members Jerry Tolson and Mike Tracy. As an educator, for over 35 years, he has conducted Youth Orchestra and school orchestra performances across North America and Europe, including performances in Louisville’s Whitney Hall, New York’s Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. As a conductor, Mr. Elmore’s performances have been described as “Vibrant, stunning, and brilliant”…”Outstanding and amazing”…”Fiery, clean, and still elegant”. Mr. Elmore is in his 38th year as Orchestra Director of the Floyd Central High School Orchestra (Indiana) and the Highland Hills Middle School Orchestras. He is currently serving as Music Director of the Louisville Youth Orchestra, Mr. Elmore recently served as Music Director with the Floyd County Youth Symphony (IN).
Elmore has conducted festival orchestras, youth orchestras, All-State, and All-County orchestras throughout the Midwest. In 2019, he was a quarterfinalist for the Grammy Awards “Music Educator of the Year”. In 2023, he was recognized by School Band and Orchestra magazine as one of “50 directors who Made a Difference”. Later that year, he received the “Manilow Music Award” a national award from the Barry Manilow Music Foundation.
Terry O’Mahoney – drums
Jazz drummer Terry O’Mahoney has appeared with such jazz greats as saxophonists Phil Woods, Bud Shank, Jimmy Heath, George Garzone, Tom Scott, and Jerry Bergonzi; pianists James Williams and Oliver Jones; guitarists Mike Stern, John Abercrombie, Gene Bertoncini, Ed Bickert, and Lorne Lofsky; trumpeters Randy Brecker, Marvin Stamm and Terell Strafford; trombonist Curtis Fuller; and bassists Dave Young and Larry Grenadier.
He performs regionally with Harry Pickens, Hora Certa (Brazilian jazz ensemble), Dave Clark, Don Krekel Orchestra, the Louisville Orchestra, Ron Jones, Blue Wisp Big Band, as well as the PNC Broadway Series at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts (touring Broadway musicals), the Louisville Ballet and Kentucky Opera.
His education includes studies with jazz great Jeff Hamilton, a B.M.Ed. from the University of Louisville (KY) and a Master’s degree from the University of Miami (FL). He endorses Crescent cymbals and Vic Firth drumsticks. He retired as Professor of Jazz Studies from St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia (Canada) in 2016 after 30 years of service. While in Canada, he performed with Symphony Nova Scotia (Halifax, Nova Scotia), jazz festivals, performed masterclasses and adjudicated numerous music festivals.